Cha-Ching on a Shoestring™

Living Large on a Limited Budget

The Cha-Ching Challenge

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Cha-Ching challenge

Welcome to the weekly Cha-Ching Challenge!

Did you find a HOT deal this week that you just want to share?  You’ve come to the right place!  Every week I post the Cha-Ching Challenge, sharing my savings for the week.    Add a link to your post detailing your savings for the week OR your favorite deal of the week. I’ll choose one participating blog to highlight next week right here on Cha-Ching on a Shoestring.

Add your links to Mr. Linky at any time.  In order to be considered for the Cha-Ching Challenge Highlight, just be sure to add your link no later than Tuesday at midnight EST.

Check out my savings for the week below:

Savings from coupons and store sales: $54.90

  • CVS:  Spent $7.85.  Saved $54.90.

Savings from ‘Free Money’: $3.00

  • Wes and I have made around $3.00 from YouData since the last time I reported-are you all checking your accounts?

Savings from cutting costs: $6

  • We’ve still been enjoying lettuce from our little garden.  Can’t wait for the tomatoes to ripen!

Savings from YOU: $36.88

  • I received another affiliate check this week.  Thank you!

TOTAL SAVINGS:$100.78

TOTAL SAVINGS THIS YEAR: $2791.97

Click below to check out my favorite find of the week:

2009entertainmentbook1

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HOW DID YOU DO? Did you find any great deals? Leave a linky and let us know!  Be sure to link directly to your weekly savings or great deal post.

Feel free to copy and paste the button above into your post and link back here so that others can join in the fun!

SNEAK PEEK: CVS 101 Week of 8/9/09

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

If you are unfamiliar with how to shop at CVS, you may want to check out my Top 5 tips for Drugstore Shopping and my Top 5 Tips for CVSing. Please note that coupons vary by region.  You can read more about my coupon lingo here.

Attention CVS Newbies!

Check out these transactions I’ve cooked up for you:

Transaction #1:
(1) Revlon Colorstay Mineral Mousse @ $9.99
$1/1 Revlon Color Cosmetic Product from SS 7/19/09
Spend: $8.99 (plus tax)
Receive: $9.99 ECBs

Transaction #2:
Buy $15 of CVS Brand or Caliber School Supplies
(1) Sharpie Highlighter, 4 ct. @$.99
Use $1/1 printable
Use $9.99 ECBs from previous transaction
Spend: $5.00 (plus tax)
Receive: $5 ECBs

***WEEKLY DEALS ***
For the week of 8/9/09

NOTE: Don’t forget that the AutoFill booklets should be available at your pharmacy now.  Be sure to snag one (or more if you can!)  There is a $4/20 coupon that will definitely sweeten these deals!

These are the best deals that I see this week.  Lovin’ the Huggies deal!

**SUNDAY, MONDAY, AND TUESDAY ONLY:

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Mousse, $9.99
Get $9.99 ECBs (Limit 1)
$1/1 Revlon Color Cosmetic Product from SS 7/19/09
Better than free after coupon and ECBs!

**ECB WEEKLY DEALS

Bic Soleil Razor 1ct or Cartridges 4 ct, $6.99
Get $3 ECBs (Limit 1)
$3/1 Bic Soleil Refillable Razor Handle or Cartridge Refills, 4pk or 8k from SS 6/28/09
As low as $.99 after coupon and ECBs!

Huggies, 2/$18
Get $4 ECBs wyb 2 (Limit 1)
$3/1 Huggies Pure & Natural diapers printable
$3/1 Huggies Pure & Natural diapers from SS 7/19/09
$1.50/1 Huggies diapers printable
$1.50/1 Huggies Diapers from SS 7/19/09
$1.50/1 Upromise ecoupon
$.75 when you submit for Caregiver’s Marketplace
As low as $2.50 each after coupons/Upromise deposit/rebate!

Bayer Contour Meter, $14.99
Get $5 ECBs (Limit 1)
Up to $30/1 Bayer Breeze2 or Contour Meter from SS 3/22/09
Possible moneymaker after coupon and EC Bs!

Buy $20 of Nexxus products
Get $10 ECBs (Limit 1)
$3/1 Nexxus Salon Hair Care from SS 7/12/09
Final price varies

Old Spice High Endurance or Secret Solid 2/$5
Get $1 ECB wyb 2 (Limit 1)
$1/2 Old Spice Deodorant from PG 8/2/09
$1/1 Secret Deodorant from PG 7/5/09
$1/1 Secret Deodorant from PG Year of Savings Booklet (no longer available)
As low as $1.00 each after coupons and ECBs!

Neutrogena Makeup, $6.99
Get $2 ECBs
$3/1 from All You magazine, August
$2/1 Neutrogena Face Cosmetics from RP 7/26/09
$1/1 Neutrogena Eye or Lip Cosmetics from RP 7/26/09
As low as $1.99 after coupon and ECBs!

Buy $10 of CoverGirl Products
Get $2 ECBs (Limit 1)
$2.50/2 CoverGirl product from PG 8/2/09
$1/1 CoverGirl Product from PG 8/2/09
Final price varies

Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water,  $4.49
Get $1 ECB (Limit 1)
$1/1 Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water .5-Liter 6- or 12-packs from  V 8/2/09
$1/1 Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water 8 oz 12 -packs, 8 oz with Fluoride or Aquapod 8-packs from V 8/2/09
As low as $2.49 after coupon and ECBs!

Coke 12 pk 4/$13
Get $3 ECBs (Limit 1)
$2.50 each after ECBs!

Buy $15 in Select Candy
Get $5 ECBs (Limit 5)
Hershey’s, Mars or Nestle’s single bars, 2/$1
$1/2 Snickers, Twix, 3 Musketeers or Milky Way Brand Singles Bars from RP 7/26/09
Mars Chocolate Giveaway Coupons

Deal Idea (if you have access to multiple coupons)

Buy 30 Mars Singles Bars
Use (15) $1/2 coupons
Pay: $0 (plus tax)
Receive $5 ECBs!

Buy $15 of CVS Brand or Caliber School Supplies
Get $5 ECBs (Limit 1)
Final price varies (this might be a good week to use rain checks from previous weeks on these items!)

Buy $15 of Five Star Notebooks
Get $5 ECBs (Limit 1)
Final price varies

Coppertone Nutrashield, $8.99
Get $2 ECBs (Limit 1)
$5/1 printable
$2/1 printable
As low as $1.99 after coupon and ECBs!

Kodak Picture Movie DVD, $14.99
Get $5 ECBs (Limit 5)
$9.99 after ECBs!

**OTHER DEALS

Sharpie Highlighters, 4 ct., $.99
$1/1 printable
Free after coupon!

General Mills Cereal and Cereal Bars, 2/$5
Various printables

JC Penney: $10 off $10 Coupon Code

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

jcpenney-logo

Use GET4BTS while shopping at JCPenney.com to receive $10 off a $10 purchase. You should be able to score something for FREE!

Make sure to shop through EBATES and receive  5% back!

AND through August 14th, receive $5 for each friend that you refer PLUS double your bonus to $10 for every three referrals for a total of $30!  (Your referrals will need to make a purchase in order to qualify.)  Tell all of your friends about this sweet JC Penney deal or the Entertainment Book deal I posted about earlier. Be sure they sign up for EBATES through your Refer-A-Friend link (sign up here and then click on ‘Refer a Friend’).  You could make this a SWEET moneymaker!

HOT Food Deals Round-Up: Borders, McDonald’s, Domino’s and More!

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Would you like to have these great deals delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email digest. Or if you use a feed reader, subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for stopping by!

GET YOUR HOT FOOD DEALS HERE:

Check out this HOT Food Deals Round-up!

peets

  • DON’T FORGET: From 2-3 p.m. today (August 7, 2009) you can stop by any Peet’s Coffee & Tea to get a free Coffee Freddo. More details here.
  • Get $25 Dining Certificates at Restaurant.com for only $2 through 8/13/09 by using code PORTION at check-out.
  • Through August 10th, take this printable coupon to any Seattle’s Best Coffee located within a Borders bookstore to get a FREE 12 oz beverage when you purchase any 20 oz beverage. You must be a Borders Rewards member to use this coupon, but it’s free to join and you can do so here. Thanks, Thrifty Mama!
  • Click here to sign up for Wendy’s mailing list and they will email you a coupon for $1 off any purchase. Use it on the value menu for FREE food.  It will take a few days for the coupon to reach your inbox.
  • Through September 12, use this coupon at any Wienerschnitzel to get a free 100% Angus Beef Chicago Dog with the purchase of another.  Thanks, Coupon Cravings!
  • Do you have a birthday in August?  (Both my boys do!)  From August 3 – August 31, anyone with an August birthday can stop by their local Domino’s to receive one FREE Lava Crunch Cake on their birthday! Proof of date required, identification can include drivers license or birth certificate. Minors without driver’s license need to be accompanied by an adult. Read more here.  (Hope my boys will share with Mommy!)
  • Go here to print a coupon for a free medium fries and medium drink when you purchase any Angus Third Pounder at McDonald’s through August 31, 2009.  (Note: You may need to have colored ink to print this coupon.)

Upromise: Add $1.75 for FREE

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Upromise.com

Did you happen to snag one of those coupons for a FREE box of Honey Bunches of Oats Pecan Bunches yesterday?  I didn’t, but if you did, I’m happy for you.  Really.  I am.

And to show you that I mean it, I’m going to share a way to actually make $.75 by using your coupon.  Simply activate your Upromise ecoupons, use the coupon at a participating Upromise store, and voila!  You’ll add $.75 to your account.

For those of you weren’t so lucky, I still have good news for you!  There is a new coupon for a FREE Chiquita Bites Singles here. Activate your Upromise ecoupons and purchase these at a participating Upromise store to add $1 into your account.

Not familiar with Upromise?  Read more here.

Mars Chocolate Giveaway

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

It’s 9 AM–have you gotten your free chocolate yet?

Every Friday through September, Mars will be giving away 250,000 coupons to be redeemed for your favorite Mars product.  Simply head to  www.realchocolate.com starting at 9 a.m. ET to enter the giveaway.  You can also enter your e-mail address to be sent a reminder.

You’ll receive your coupon by mail within six weeks. Limit four coupons per household during the offer period.

EDITED: 2009 Entertainment Book: $9.99

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

2009entertainmentbook

Through August 10, go here to order the 2009 Entertainment book for only $9.99.  It’s full of great coupons for restaurants, shopping, movie tickets and more.

Scratch that.  If you are going to order an Entertainment Book, I highly recommend doing so through Cashbaq or Ebates right now.  You will pay $9.99, but you will receive a $6 rebate from Cashbaq or Ebates, so it will be like only paying $3.99!

PLUS if you are a new Cashbaq or Ebates member, you will automatically receive $5 added to your account, so you will actually MAKE money by purchasing this book!

Thanks, Sara!

If you are unfamiliar with Cashbaq and Ebates, they are on-line shopping centers.  Simply sign up here for Cashbaq and here for Ebates and you will automatically receive $5 in each of your accounts! Then, check out their extensive lists of merchants.  By clicking on the merchant through their site, you will receive a percentage back on any order that you make.  From what I’ve seen, the percentages range from 2% all the way up to 25%! You will receive payment once your account reaches $10.  It’s always a good idea to check both rebate sites to see which has a better percentage for the store where you would like to shop.